Singularity is getting closer every day. But do we really need all of this new artificial intelligence [AI]? For instance, would dog lovers world-wide prefer robot dogs . . over say, their rescue labradoodle?

There was a time in the United States when all the phones had rotary dial, most of the televisions were only black and white, and the most popular animal around was a dolphin named Flipper. This dolphin was the star of his own television series from September 1964 until April 1967. Some referred to him as Lassie (the dog from TV and movies) with fins.